A new shopping centre is top of the list from residents asked to comment on plans to grow Katherine East.
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A medical precinct surrounding a relocated hospital, relocating the public library away from Katherine Terrace, even a 4/5 star hotel were considered in future plans for the area.
The NT Planning Commission wants more community feedback on future plans for Katherine East.
The project has extra impetus today with funding support from both major parties to match existing funding and now have $22 million to make the plans happen.
For many years the plans to move the growth areas of Katherine away from the river had seemed doomed with out the extra money.
Now the $11 million still remaining in the flood kitty plus the promises heading into tomorrow's election to match the funds, suddenly it appears it has a chance after all.
Most of the money will be spent on important infrastructure works - roads, power, drainage etc, necessary for such a big project.
Piece by piece Katherine has already been relocating important bits away from the river - the police station went first, followed not long back by the ambulance and now the fire station, to be officially opened next week.
Planners have identified areas in Katherine East, outside the flood zone, as the growth areas of Katherine.
The first round of consultation included more than 100 people and drew 13 written submissions.
Suggestions on possible land uses included a shopping centre, community centre and a medical precinct built around a relocated hospital.
The first study also found the community supported a bus service within Katherine which links Katherine East, Katherine South, Katherine town centre and Nitmiluk Gorge.
Plans for the expansion of Katherine East include the long debated relocation of the hospital away from the river.
"The need to relocate the Katherine Hospital to a site outside of the flood area is widely acknowledged," the plans read.
"The development of a new Health Precinct is seen as a key need for Katherine broadly but also a significant opportunity for Katherine East in terms of activating the second neighbourhood centre and providing an anchor to support allied health services and retail.
"The Department of Health is undertaking detailed planning for the future 'greenfield' hospital in Katherine East.
"The site will include clinical areas, medi-hostel and university buildings as well as 25% extra vacant land set aside for expansion. This does not include ancillary uses such as retail, child care and others. It is recommended that a 12 ha site be allocated for the future health precinct, which includes the hospital and ancillary uses. Department of Health require a connected facility on one site. The site does not need to include staff accommodation as Department of Health will locate accommodation off site."
There was also a recommendation to move the public library library from Katherine Terrace to Katherine East.
The commission was told this latest round of feedback needed "a detailed visual focus on the proposed neighbourhood centre to stimulate an increased responses from the community".
The draft area plan intends to provide long-term guidance for future residential and commercial land use in the area and incorporates community comments from late last year.
To support the development of the plan, investigative studies were undertaken on social infrastructure, transport and stormwater drainage in Katherine.
Planning Commission chair Dr David Ritchie, said the commission was encouraging the community to get involved to help refine the future vision for Katherine East.
"We have incorporated elements of the natural landscape to shape the suburb, including the establishment of green space networks and connectivity," Dr Ritchie said.
The draft plan includes two flood-free mixed use neighbourhood centres, future land for health and education needs and a range of future community spaces.
The Planning Commission invites the Katherine community and industry stakeholders to provide feedback on the draft Area Plan by visiting our upcoming pop-up stalls and information stands.
The first information stand will be at the Katherine Community Markets tomorrow from 8am-1pm.
To view further upcoming information stand locations and dates throughout May and June, visit www.planningcommission.nt.gov.au or submit your feedback online by emailing ntpc@nt.gov.au.
Closing date for submissions is Friday, June 21.
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